离开有益
今天的经文不是出自启示录。今天是升天节，是复活节之后第四十天，在这天，耶稣结束了衪在世上的事工、回到衪天上的父那里去。
看到耶稣的事工到了这一步，我们或许会认为祂的离去是一个很大的损失；基督既战胜死亡复活了，我们可能会疑惑，如果耶稣仍然留在世上，衪复活的好消息岂不更有信服力？
我们不是第一批为此感到困惑或质疑耶稣离开是否明智的人。耶稣自己也指出，最早跟随衪的信徒，亦因知道衪要离开而“满心忧愁。”
然而，我们因为耶稣解释了衪离开地上回天家的原因而感恩。衪说：“我去是与你们有益。”衪又继续说：“我若不去，保惠师〔圣灵〕就不到你们这里来；我若去，就差他来。”
然后耶稣在升天十天后，祂便把所应许的圣灵浇灌在跟随衪的人身上；这件事发生在五旬节那天。当日，人们从天下各国来到耶路撒冷（使徒行传2章）。神今天藉着圣灵的同在－就是神亲自住在每一个信徒心里与他们同在－神的子民仍然有权领受神的恩赐，并把福音传遍各地。
主耶稣，你从天上的宝座仍然继续看顾你事工的拓展，直等到你再来，我们感谢你。求你以你的圣灵加添我们的能力。阿们。
约翰福音 16:5-11
5现今我往差我来的父那里去，你们中间并没有人问我：‘你往哪里去？’
6只因我将这事告诉你们，你们就满心忧愁。
7然而我将真情告诉你们，我去是于你们有益的。我若不去，保惠师就不到你们这里来；我若去，就差他来。
8他既来了，就要叫世人为罪、为义、为审判，自己责备自己。
9为罪，是因他们不信我；
10为义，是因我往父那里去，你们就不再见我；
11为审判，是因这世界的王受了审判。
Leaving For Good
"It is for your good that I am going away." - John 16:7
Our Bible reading today takes us away from the Revelation story. Today is Ascension Day, 40 days after Easter, and on this day Jesus concluded his public ministry to return to his Father in heaven.
We might be tempted to read this moment in Jesus’ ministry as a big loss. We might wonder if the good news of Easter, when Christ rose in victory over death, might not have been better served if Jesus had stayed here on the earth.
We are not the first to be puzzled about this, or to question the wisdom of Jesus’ leaving. As Jesus himself remarked, his first disciples were "filled with grief" about the idea of his going away.
We can be thankful, though, that Jesus explained the reason for his leaving to go back to heaven. He said, "It is for your good that I am going away." And he went on to say, "Unless I go away, the Advocate [the Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you."
Then, ten days after his ascension into heaven, Jesus poured out the promised Holy Spirit on his followers. That took place during the festival of Pentecost, when people from many nations were gathered in Jerusalem (Acts 2). And still today, through the Spirit’s presence—that is, the presence of God living within each believer—the people of God are empowered to receive the gifts of God and to take the good news to every nation.
Until you come again, Lord Jesus, thank you for your ongoing ministry from the throne in heaven. Empower us by your Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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